So here we have a subsidiary for Slovenly called Mondo Mongo, which features bands writing music in their respective languages. Sometimes it is difficult to express the aggression shown in music if the language being presented isn’t used as often as their native tongue. Here are three records that show off the ability to get things done– no matter what the tongue. Music is a universal language, right? That is most certainly confirmed here.

Bazooka-Useless Generation

These Greek boys bring the noise and the weird on this one, and its full of surprises. No doubt they’ve paid their dues and all that, and I’ve seen them in the flesh and its no joke, so I can vouch for it—just a wall of sound and sonic ridiculousness, catchy and all overboard as well. There is a certain tonality about this record too. Each track cuts through and stands out on its own. A concept album, if you will. An evolved version of what I saw years before. Definitely one of the more interesting garage releases so far in this year. In a scene that has gone very cookie cutter and too same sounding, a very original sound that has replay value. Everyone hates those records you listen to once that you got really excited about and then there is one song that’s good and the rest is filler right? You will absolutely not have that problem. I found myself getting submersed here, like it has its own little world to offer. It also needs to be noted that there is some acoustic guitar present along with some keys at work, which meshes well with the overall dark theme presented. When it comes to records like this one, it isn’t really fair to pick favourites to show. Proper respect is to just pour a nice drink, pack a bowl and then just accept it for what it is. Not everything is what it seems. It’s very jagged around the edges, but, in the end, it brings you back to wanting more. It reminds me of a band from Olympia called the Old Haunts– the guitar-work and even the drums. Tobi Vail from Bikini Kill played drums for them. Maybe even the Swedish band Masshysteri thrown in there for good measure? Now go do your homework and buy this LP while you are at it. No regrets here.

 

AVENUE Z – ‘Azimut’

Ok, so if you cross Magnetix with a member of Catholic Spray, a band that I’m still pissed I didn’t see, you get Avenue Z– a wild ride of synth-driven riffs mixed with fuzzed out stuff. The French have the right recipe. I was lucky enough to see Magnetix at Goner Fest one year ago and to this day it is one of the most powerful shows I have ever witnessed– not only as a fan, but also as a musician. It’s these kind of records that build influence and set the tone for everyone else on the block. This one has got early Lost Sounds, Digital Leather and Destruction Unit smeared all over it. I was so happy putting the record on for the first time. The garage scene has been missing these kinds of bands for a few years, as the “dumb punk” thing as been a big deal. Think Buck Biloxi and the Fucks, Lumpy and the Dumpers, Gino and the Goons, and the like. It’s such a nice change of pace, but then there are moments when it will bring you back to that sound of early Magnetix. It does such an excellent job of captivating the ears and mind from start to finish, and leaves no room for questioning why they didn’t do this or that on the record. Even some surfy kind of stuff too, proving they can do it all and keep it catchy and bizarre. Again, though, I must stress it’s not your average synth record. It will keep you off guard only to bring you back in with what you know and love. Highly recommended for the non-linear abstract people out there. You might get it even more than I do. By all means, give this one a try– it holds no bullshit.

 

Red Mass- EP ROUGE N. 2

I haven’t heard Red Mass in a long time. They are another one of those bands I was lucky enough to see live. And wow, let me say this record is the weirdest one I’ve heard yet. Yes I love CPC Gangbangs as much as the next guy, but this tops that by far. For an EP, you really cant say there is anything lacking here. It reminds me of Pink Reason at times, and then other times it has that punk feel. Those overblown sounds on the drums sound like a fucked up industrial record from the early 1980’s–a d-beat track that goes back and forth from punk to weird goth with screaming and angry vocals. If you want to drink in the bathroom all night, do coke and stare at yourself in the mirror, this record is for you folks. I haven’t heard anything this dark since Jay Reatard’s screamy-all-synth project Terror Visions. Look that one up. You’ll see what I mean. This one holds a very dim candle to it, and I mean that in a good way because there is guitar here to balance out the synth and whatever else noise there is in the background. The fact that it is only an EP and it manages to bring out all these emotions in 7 songs is a remarkable. I’ve listened to it more than any of the other releases to date. A lot of people don’t get the connection between black metal and punk and that line has crossed into the modern age with garage rock. This EP is a fine example of that kind of thing– an early-mayhem demo that was recorded on a jam box has a lot of similarities. Dark, dark and more dark. Just pre-order this one and don’t sleep on it.

 

 

By Justin Crumpton